Duke  University   Libraries 

Estimate  of  fiv 
Conf  Pam  #422 

DTTDE35n3V 


A^v 


HOUSE  OF  RErRESENTATrVKS.Febn«iry  l,lS64.--I.Hidoa 
the  table,  an4  ordered  to  be  printed. 

[Presented  by  Thk  Chair.] 


MESSAGK  or    THK  .j'ln'SIDKXr. 

HI^flM{)^D,  V\.,  Jan.  .]•»,    i,Hf;4. 
To  the  Senate  and  House  of  Krpn^entatives  : 

I  herewith  transmit  for  your  consideration  a  communication  from  th« 
Secretary  of  War,  covering  an  ef^timute  of  an  additional  suru  needed 
by  the  Engineer  Bureau. 

I  recommend  an  appropriation  of  th(;  .amount  speeified,  for  the  pur- 
pose indicated. 

JEFFERSON  BAY  18. 


communication;  of  i'hf  sfckftahv  of  war 

CONFKDKRATF.   STATr>  01    AmLKRA,    W'aR   OlPART.MENT,   ^ 

BicfiTnondf  January  3S,  1804.      S 
To  the  President  of  the  Confederate  States : 

Sir  :  I  hwe  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  an  eatimate  prepared  by 
the  acting  chief  of  the  Engineer  Bureau,  of  the  amount  required  to 
meet  the  just  claims  presented,  or  to  be  presented  hereafter,  for  the 
loss  of  slaves  who  have  been  impressed  by  the  Confederate  authorities, 
and,  while  engaged  in  laboring  on  the  public  defences,  have  died  or 
contracted  diseases  which  have,  after  their  discharge,  resulted  ftitally. 
It  is  estimated  that  the  sum  of  three  millions  one  hundred  and  eight 
thousand  dollars  will  be  necessary  to  pay  such  claims. 
Very  respectfullv,  vour  obedient  servant, 

JAMES  A.  SEDDON, 
Secretary  of  War 


C,  S.  A,,  Wak  Devaktment,  Engineer  Bureau,  ) 
Richmo7id,  Va.,  January  22,  1864.      ^ 
Hon.  James  A.  Seddon,  Secretary  of  War : 

Sir  :  I  have  received  from  Col.  W.  II.  Stevens,  chief  of  construction 
D.  N.  v.,  an  estimate  of  five  hundred  thousand  dollars  (SoOOJHMI)  as 
required  to  meet  the  jusc  claims  presented,  or  to  be  presented  hereafter, 
for  the  loss  of  slaves  who  have  been  impressed  in  the  >;:  tate  of  Virginia, 
and  have  esc  ped  to  the  e-nefej,  or  have  died  whilst  engaged  in  labor 
on  the  Richmond  defences,  or  from  diseases  contracted  while  thus  em- 
ployed. This  estimate  is  based  on  an  average  valuation  of  two  thou- 
sand d'ollars  fctr  eacii  slave  thus  t.sca:;ed  or  dt-ceased.  A  consideration 
of  the  losses  sustained  in  other  portions  of  this  State,  especially  in 
the  Peninsula,  earlier  in  the  war,  gives  the  sum  of  seven  hundredand 
eight  thousand  dollars  ($7'!8.<i(n>)  as  the  entire  estimate  for  the  State 
of  Virginia.  Reasoning  by  analogy,  for  want  of  absolute  data,  and 
extending  the  calculation  to  the  other  Stati,s  of  the  Confederacy,  in 
all  of  which  heavy  losses  have  been  sustained  among  the  negroes  im- 
pres3e<i  for  labor  on  the  defences,  the  bureau  has  arrived  at  the  snm 
of  three  million  one  hundred  and  eight  thousand  dollars  {$3,108,000) 
as  the  minimum  probably  required  to  meet  this  class  of  expenditures. 

I  have,  therefore,  the  honor  to  submit  an  estimate  of  three  million 
one  hundred  and  eight  thousand  dollars,  ($3,lt'8,0(i0,)  and  to  ask  aa 
appropriation  of  this  amouni,  for  tiie  purpose  indicated. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

A.  L.  RIVES, 
Lieut.  Co/.,  aoff  ar.f.ing  Chief  of  E/.gineer  Burenu. 


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